Packing - Helpful Extras
These are the items that we have found to be useful; some trips we use them and others we don't, but they are easy to pack and nice to have. The items with asterisks are kept in a handy place to access during the flight if desired, while the rest are packed away in our suitcases.
*Ipod/MP3 player
*Pens/Pencils
*Small notebook
*Deck of cards
*Reading material
Small reusable nylon grocery bag
Travel alarm clock (phone or iPod will do)
Moist wipes
Small Kleenex packages
Tape/glue stick (for journals or crafts)
Money belt
Washcloth (many places don't provide them)
Extra batteries
Extra pair of glasses/contact lens paraphernalia
Laundry detergent**
Nightlight or flashlight
Adapters for charging
Sharpie
Ziplocs of various sizes
Chip clips (come in handy when you purchase snacks)
Small portable speakers
Beach bag (make it one that you can use for other things too)
*Folder containing all important information;
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accommodation information - contacts, phone numbers, addresses, confirmation numbers
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copy of all important documents (passports, etc)
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emergency contact numbers
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addresses for postcards
Note - Beach bag - We do not take a 'traditional' beach bag, but rather a bag that folds down flat yet is quite substantial when opened up. It has a zipper and is made of sturdy nylon; you can find similar bags in the travel section of any major store. On the way home we fill it with dirty clothes and/or shoes and check it, which allows for more souvenir room in our suitcases! However, if a substantial portion of your trip involves the beach then a small, lightweight beach bag would be very useful.
**Laundry detergent is useful to take if you are sensitive to what kind you use and/or to avoid having to buy a large container of it. The travel section of many large drug stores often sell travel-sized packages of Tide, but another alternative is to take a small tupperware-style container of powdered detergent. The washing machines in most European rental accommodations are quite small and only a very small amount (approx. 1 Tbsp) of detergent is necessary. For a 3 week trip (where we do a small load of laundry every 3-4 days) I generally take a small container holding about 2/3 c. of concentrated powdered detergent. I have heard that there are laundry 'soap sheets' available as well which sound very useful but, as of yet, I haven't seen or tried them.
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